"No reading at the breakfast table"

I got given Lisa McCune's book 'Hopscotch and Honey Joys' for free last year, but it is a recipe book and I have no more space in my kitchen for recipe books (however pretty).  The book includes lots of kid friendly recipes (these cute bear car racers are an example, it also has the instructions for the marshmallow/freckle teacup thingeys). So I thought I'd share it with one of my readers. You need to work for this giveaway though. What's the healthiest family dinner you can produce in 30 minutes? On Mondays I get home from work at 5:30 and we need to eat at 6 because music lessons start at 6:15.  Eeekkk.  Gets a bit tight. Oh and we can't eat eggs or nuts because of the allergy child. Join the challenge and WIN!

This was my coffee table the other night after the children had all gone to bed.  These are the books they're reading now, have read and will read.  All jumbled into one.  It warms my heart this picture.  It is also a mess ... but I'll focus on the warming the heart bit! Oh, and there's also the brush, coffee cup, homework and a shoe (what?) in the mix.

Starting to decorate the grey I've been a bit quiet here because I haven't got anything much to share that can be tied together into something coherent. We've got over the initial hump of the start of the year - starting a new school, getting into the routine of a new timetable for myself, Rowan going away a lot during January and February, kids mostly sorted with their extra curricular mayhem. This week I've felt quite tired.  I woke up this morning and couldn't believe it was only Wednesday - yawn.  So weary.  And a very long term still ahead... Term time is just powering through from week to the next.  At the moment my head is feeling a bit sore as we try to work out how to incorporate the use of iPads into our teaching.  It is interesting and challenging but like all things new, can start to make your head hurt after a while.  I do enjoy pushing myself with using new technology in teaching (certainly doesn't come naturally) and I think it is ...

Have you ever faced a time when you felt like you didn't have it in you?  That you weren't brave enough to cope with the day ahead?  That you were just plain scared about what lay in front of you? When the Israelites made it to the promised land they went to check it out, and came back terrified.  They reported men of great height and some of the spies convinced the people that they just couldn't beat them (Numbers 13).  Had they forgotten all that God had just done for them?  The whole Exodus /beating Pharaoh/providing food in the desert bit?  Um - apparently, well, yes they had. Today at church we started Deuteronomy, the first chapter reminding the Israelites of why they've just spent 40 years traipsing around in circles.  They just didn't trust God.  They forgot so very quickly what he had done for them.  How powerful he is.  Instead of looking up at God, they looked down and around at themselves.  Their weak puny selves....

This week an article I was asked to contribute to the Australian Christian parenting website 'Growing Faith' was published.  Still in shock I was asked to contribute - hope it passes the test! If you're interested, here's the link: http://growingfaith.com.au/parenting/how-do-i-give-my-kids-the-edge

As school goes back this week and new classes are formed, here's a repost on an issue I need to keep reminding myself to think wisely about! How do you cope when your kids are finding life hard?  They're left out from a social event that all their friends are invited to?  They are in a new class with none of their old friends?  I've had a few of these situations to cope with in the last month.  Tricky stuff. The beginning of each school year and the establishing of school classes gives me an insight into how some parents respond to the ups and downs of their children's lives.  My friend was telling me about her school when the classes were announced on the first day of school.  There were murmurs of approval or disapproval across the school hall as parents felt happy or sad about the teacher their child had been given.  I witnessed a similar process myself, where parents were either waving thumbs up at other mums across the room or grimaci...